State of the archive

[Egbert Eich]

Adam Jackson writes:
 > So, I have cycles to devote to release management processes, since that's, you 
 > know, my day job.  I am in some sense ultimately trusted.  I would really 
 > like to see 7.1 in place on a machine named something.x.org when it releases.  
 > I live like 30 minutes from the x.org machines and can physically go down and 
 > kick them when/if they break.
 > 
 > So why do I not have the ability to log into those machines at all, let alone 
 > root?  Why is it almost two weeks after the start of this thread, with pretty 
 > much unanimous agreement that the current situation with the x.org machines 
 > is broken, with no solution, or even motion?  Who needs the cluebat here?
 > 

There was a cleanup process under way in the release directory on fd.o.
With this pretty much completed we can start the mirroring process.

This however is different from the 'who gets access to those machines?'
question.
The mirroring would remedy the problem of not having latest releases
(especially security) available on the box - even without anyone needing
to access the machines.

The access question touches on other issues:
1. The present situation of having a single admin for the machine was
   requested by the admin. He'd be better qualified to comment on the
   reasons than I am.
2. The machine has remote management. This allows us to kick the machine even
   when not in place. I've done this once (being dialed into the internet
   thru an analog line - as nobody else volunteered to do so).
3. Physical access to the machine is only required when hardware breaks.
   That this can happen has been demonstrated by the fdo system.
   a. Ajax, I personally would trust your expertise at least as much
      as the others who currently have access to the machine.
   b. with what you said above I assume you are volunteering to be 
      on an 'emergency task force'
   c. you live in the area
   d. you are probably at least as responsive as the other people with
      access.

I would therefore strongly recommend to give you access (both physical
and administrative).

We however need to resolve some other issue here: the machine is hosted
in a machine room at MIT. Someone needs to make sure you have access to
this location and that you are shown around so that you know the machine,
the facilities and the location. 
This could best be done when putting the other machines sponsored by SUN
in place as this may require more than one hand to manuver them around.

Cheers,
	Egbert.